


Across the Universe

by thequidditchpitch_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, Friendship, Hogwarts Era, Romance, The Quidditch Pitch: From Diagon Alley to Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-01-11
Updated: 2006-01-11
Packaged: 2018-10-27 17:49:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10813821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequidditchpitch_archivist/pseuds/thequidditchpitch_archivist
Summary: A note from a Secret Admirer drops into Colin's breakfast, forcing him to (temporarily) come out from behind his camera.





	Across the Universe

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

  
Author's notes: My stab at trying to humanize Colin Creevey. Originally part of my [Come Together](http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=ficbymarks&keyword=Come+Together&filter=all) series of ficlets. Somewhat revised from the original version.  


* * *

Colin has always lived his life through pictures. A shuttered lens and Harry Potter is captured forever, hiding on the periphery, struggling to escape. The camera whirs and his brother is sitting on their father's lap, making bunny ears, giggling. Dennis is frozen at age twelve, even if outside the frame he grows and grows, now even taller than his Big Brother. A flashbulb pops and most of the Slytherin Quidditch team grimaces back menacingly. Colin quickly hides that one at the bottom of the pile. 

Though he's in the middle of the Great Hall, no one even notices him flipping through the stack. It's a breakfast tradition. Colin and his little pictures - his best friends. 

At least that's what he thinks up until an owl unceremoniously deposits a large envelope in the middle of his bacon and eggs. It's a light mail day, so plenty of Gryffindors stare in his direction. Colin's not usually shy, but without the shield of his camera, he's not used to seeing their eyes focused on him. He looks away and hastily opens the package. 

_You live your life through pictures; I live mine through words. Not speaking - I'm no good at that, so you'll have to settle for notes. I like watching your hands at work, but there's more to life than darkrooms and the smell of silver._

Colin looks around wildly, wondering if anyone is watching him, but the Gryffindors have seemingly returned to eating. He narrows his eyes and looks at the other three tables, but no one, no one is looking back. He reads the note again. 

And again. 

Colin sticks it in his pocket, periodically rubbing the parchment with his thumb. He's checking to see if it's real. 

The next day, there's no note, so despite the assuring texture of the already somewhat worn letter in his pocket, he figures it was a joke. Always hiding behind a camera, how would anyone see his face? 

On the third day, there's no note. 

On the fourth day, there's no note. 

On the fifth day, another note arrives, this time splattering porridge into Colin's left eye. He rubs his injury, glancing warily at the owl and then down at the note. 

_For a photographer, you're pretty unobservant. I'll narrow things down for you. I'm a boy._

Colin splutters, heart soaring and stomach dropping simultaneously. So he isn't the only one in school. That still leaves half the population, though. 

He picks up the envelope and a reddish-yellow, spiky leaf flutters out. Pressing the leaf into his Herbology text, he vows to figure out its origins. Colin typically hates Herbology, but he decides he'll make an exception this time. The second note joins the frayed first in his robe pocket. 

That night, he sits in the common room and pores over his Herbology text, unable to identify the leaf. 

On the sixth day, the note lands cleanly in the middle of the table. 

_Did you know you scratch your nose when you're nervous?_

Colin scratches his nose, eyes darting from side-to-side. The leaf's already turning brown around the edges. The third note joins its companions. 

During lunch, he sticks the leaf under Professor Sprout's nose. She eyes him warily and asks, "Creevey, where did you get that?" 

"I was just wondering what it was, Professor. I...I found it outside." Colin is a bad liar. 

Evidently, Sprout is not good at spotting bad liars. She nods, telling him, "It's from one of the restricted greenhouses, which means one of my students has been quite careless." Wincing, Colin realises he probably just got his Secret Admirer in trouble. He doubts there'll be any more notes. 

"But what does it _mean_?" Colin nearly slaps his own forehead. Why can't he exercise some control over his mouth? 

"Mean? The _Munimeninis_ is typically used in protection potions; protections by loved ones, specifically. My N.E.W.T. students are growing it for Professor Snape's stores, but it's restricted. The leaves are poisonous if released before maturity." Colin drops the leaf, as though it suddenly caught fire, and it floats to the table. Professor Sprout purses her lips. "Creevey, do you really think I'd let you handle a poisonous plant? My N.E.W.T. class doesn't make mistakes. I was just surprised to see it out of the greenhouses." 

"So this is for protection?" 

Sprout nods. 

"May I keep it?" 

"Go right ahead. I certainly don't need that dead cutting. I have enough live ones to worry about." 

Colin conceals a grin and sticks the leaf back into his book. 

On the seventh day, the note comes, but misses Colin, instead dropping onto Dennis' freshly buttered toast. "I think this is for you," he tells his brother, holding one clean edge. 

_You may not notice, but I'm paying attention. Cough once if these notes make you uncomfortable and twice if you'd like more._

Colin lifts his camera to his eye, coughing once. 

After a few moments, he coughs again. Colin pretends not to notice Neville Longbottom's head shoot up as he peers through his lens. 

Fourth note tucked in place, he's asked twenty-three times that day why he's smiling. 

On the eighth day, notes simultaneously land in Colin's and Neville's bowls. Colin watches Neville read his note before opening his own. 

_Gryffindor Sixth Year dormitory, eight o'clock._

Colin bursts out laughing, startling those around him. He wonders if he'll sit in Neville's dorm while Neville waits in his. Colin's note read, "My dormitory, eight o'clock," of course. 

When Colin finishes breakfast, he passes by the still stunned Neville and whispers in his ear. "Never mind my note. I'll follow yours." 

That evening, Colin does his hair twelve times and makes Dennis take a picture of him, so he can see what he _really_ looks like. As they develop it, Colin realises he looks like he's about to throw up. Dennis just laughs and laughs. 

At eight, he stands in front of Neville's closed door. At 8:03, he lifts his hand to knock, but the door is thrown open. Ron Weasley glances behind him, then looks at Colin with a knowing smirk and Harry Potter greets him with an "All right, Colin?" before grinning at Ron. They both quickly push past. 

Colin steps inside, looking somewhat bewildered. Neville's toad sits on his owner's lap, croaking dolefully. 

Neither says anything for a moment. 

"Hi," says Colin, breaking the silence. 

"Hey." 

"Did you get in trouble?" 

Neville looks confused. "For what? Oh. The leaf. No, Professor Sprout never figured out that it was me." 

Colin lets out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. 

"Why'd you want to protect me, anyway?" Colin takes a couple of steps towards Neville's bed. 

Grinning, Neville says, "Everyone needs protection, right?" 

Colin crosses his arms over his chest. "That's not the whole truth. You're about as good a liar as I am." 

"It's not. I was sitting outside last week and saw you taking pictures. You were aiming towards the sky and you tripped over a root. Probably too much to just ask you to look ahead every once in awhile." 

"Probably," chuckles Colin. 

Neville strokes Trevor with his index finger and Colin notices he has nice hands. "How did you know?" 

"About what? That you were sending me the notes? Saw you through my lens." 

"And here I was trying to get you to open your eyes." 

"It's the only time they're are really open." Colin glances around the room, searching for journals and ink stains, but sees none. "You write?" he asks incredulously. 

"All the time, at night. It...it makes me feel sane. No one knows about it because it embarrasses me." Neville's cheeks flush. "Everything embarrasses me." 

Colin sits next to Neville on the bed. Flustered, Neville shifts a bit, leaving his toad room enough to escape. Trevor bounds away. Colin says, "If I hid behind what I loved, I'd just have a lot of pictures of the inside of my canopy bed. Would you...would you show me some of what you write, maybe?" 

"It's no good." 

"Then fix it up and show me." Colin impetuously grabs Neville's nice hand, trying to encourage him. Neville still stares at his lap, his face practically glowing red. "I'll show you my pictures of Harry in the shower if you do." 

Neville laughs, lifting his head so his eyes meet Colin's. "I didn't know you were funny. Can't get that from just staring at someone." He pauses. "Wait. You _are_ kidding, right?" 

Colin shrugs. "Won't know unless you agree." He's not particularly interested in Harry Potter at the moment. 

Laughing again, Neville nods. "Okay." He pauses again. "Have any pictures of yourself in the shower?" 

This time it's Colin's turn to laugh, stopped only when Neville leans in for a kiss. 


End file.
